Exploratory songsmiths in search of meanings

Dark Room

Origin

This is another of the handful of songs that stood the test of times and stayed with me since the 90s. Very simple folk songs in three verses, this song was responsible for showing me how a song that primarily paints pictures seems to avoid the trap of heavy-handedness. Other songs from this era, often written with a specific “message” or an overt “point” in mind, seems to fall by the wayside over the years while a vague song like this one you just don’t get tired of.

Relatively easy song to play and sing, this one I consider to be one of my signature songs — it just seems appropriate to play in so many different situations and settings. After Bob and I started Minnasia, that tradition seems to continue, so we are happy to have this included in the first true Minnasia release and to also have it inspire the title World of No Errors.

Music & Production

I recorded this song more than once over the years and this song stays relatively unchanged. The version on World of No Errors is missing a few frills that a full-production recording would contain, but really, this song sounds good with just one guitar or with a complete band.

It’s fun to play live as well, and there’s room for a drummer to stretch out and be creative and tasty during the final choruses.

Lyrics

This is a fine example of what I call “impressionistic” lyrics because as I was writing it, I really didn’t know or understand what the song was going to be about. I just kept on adding more and more images that felt good for this song. Lots of nature makes it sound pastoral, but then there’s the dark room — it was years later that I realized that a dark room is where photographers develop photos from films. I’m still not sure if/how that concept plays a role in this story.

I don’t think I’m defining anything for you by pointing out how the “I” person and “you” person trades places, where one starts out in the dark room and the other ends up there. What does this all mean? We’d love to hear your thoughts, as we’re learning new ways in which this song can be interpreted ourselves. We love that uncertainty — we’d get bored with it if we really figure it out.

I see you in the dark room, painting your own mirror
I see me in the dim light in the world of no errors
Sometimes you feel the need
Come talk to me
Come talk to me

Talk to the shadow over me

I see you in the water, wondering why you can’t walk on it
All alone in the dark room, you can’t see when you see it
All my nights, all my love, all my drowning seeds
Come talk to me
Come talk to me

Talk to the shadow over me

And I will never be the same
And I will never be the same

I see you with the flowers – you touch, but no feel
I see me in the dark room on the way to the seal
Then you run, you run from me
Come talk to me
Come talk to me